I have dyed black hair and its driving me mad I've had it for 5 years but I want to go back blonde I don't want to let it grow out as it would take years how can I do this or how would the hairdresses do it and how much would it cost me about and how long would it take please help me :-( x x x

The only real choice you have is to use a color remover (ColorFix, Color Oops, Color Zap, Color Charm Color Corrector, Igora Phantom) to remove the black pigment in your hair. The hairdresser would do it the same way except some salons use Effasol which is a glorified bleach. Other salons simply try to bleach. When you try to bleach out artificial pigment, they usually turn orange and you can't get blonde.

Hair color removers like those specified, actually "undevelop" the artificial pigment so that it will dissolve and you can wash it out. So, it's a better idea than trying to bleach it out. Color removers won't work if you try to use bleach first.

After using color remover (which you may have to use more than once), your hair will be left with an unpleasant color -- probably orange or yellow, and it may be uneven. If you want to get to a light blonde, you'll almost certainly have to bleach at this point. The purpose of bleaching is to lighten the remaining natural pigment in the hair. After bleaching, you tone with a haircoloring (preferably a demi-permanent to avoid damage).

This isn't for the faint of heart. It can be difficult and it's likely that you'll have problems along the way. At the least you'll probably not be perfectly happy with the initial color and you may have to "tweak" the toner. You may also possibly not bleach light enough the first time and you'll have to bleach again. Worse, you might overbleach and damage your hair to its breaking point. That's one good reason to get someone with a lot of experience (a colorist?) to do it for you.

It can be expensive, $150 isn't uncommon for a salon. Even if you do it yourself, you can put out $25-$35 the first time.

Here are some web sites where a lot of do-it-yourselfers visit.

Bottle Blondes Board (http://www.network54.com/Forum/503669/)
The Going Blonde Message Board (http://www.network54.com/Forum/127834/)